Building-silencer.



H. F. MAXIM.

BUlLDlNG SILENCER.

APPLICATION m50 05u18. |917.

H. P. MAXIM.

BUILDING S\LENCER.

M'mlcATloN FILED DEC. la. 1911.

Patented Dec. 31, 1918.

2 SHEETS--SHEET 2.

BUILDING-SILENCER.

Speocation of Letters Patent.

Patented Dee. 31, T9118.

Application filed December 18,1917. Serial No. 207,781.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it lmown that I, HLRAM PERCY MAXIM, a citizen of the United States,residing at Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State ofConnecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inBuilding- Silencers, of which the following is a specication.

This invention relates to what I might for convenience term a buildingsilencer. As will be inferred the silencing means can with advantage beused in conjunction With structures of-widely different classes. It isof particular utility, however, when associated with or forming part ofa human habitation whether the same comprises one ore more compartmentsor rooms. An illustration of a building of this character is a hotel orapartment house. While as I observe, the invention is of primeimportance in this particular field, I am in no sense restrictedthereto, for it is conceivable that it might be used in otherconnections,'for example a hospital where noise is especiallyobjectionable. Cnc of the fundamental purposes I have in view is theprovision of means for the elimination as far as practicable certainly,of noise from a room or compartment without affecting the properentrance of air, and when required the supply of a cooling or a heatingagent thereto. I therefore provide in connection with a room intendedfor human habitation, means for Ventilating the room, and positivesilencing means applied to dampv or check all noise vibrations of theair entering said room. While as I have noted, the invention issusceptible of general use, I have for the purpose of showing itsnature, illustrated it in one of its several forms as presenting a. partof what might be considered either an apartment house or hotel. Thisshowin is provided to enable those skilled in the uilding and alliedarts to compre.- hend the improvement. As will be clear I am notrestricted to this disclosure; I may depart therefrom in severalrespects within the scope of the invention defined by the claimsfollowing said description.

Referring to said drawings:

Figure l is an elevation partly in section of a building equipped withsilencing means involving the invention.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, looking` inthe direction of the arrow.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of a group of rooms. Fig. 4 is a detailin section of a duct.

Fig. 5A is a horizontal section on the line :3d-5 of Fig. 1, looking inthe direction of the arrows.'

Figs. 6 and 7 are vertical sections on the lines 6 6 and 7-7respectively of Fig. 3, looking in the directions of the arrows appliedto the respective lines.

Like characters refer to like parts throughout the several views whichas will be clear, are on widely diiferent scales.

I have already made it clear that the invention is capable of generaluse. In Fig. 1 I have shown practically in full a building as 2. Thisbuilding may be either a hotel or apartment house. `The number ofstories is not a matter of moment. Each living room I have denoted by 3.Obviously these rooms may be of any number on each floor. The halls oneach floor are denoted by 4. The size of the rooms, their arrangement,and similar remarks applying to the halls, are it will be understood notmatters of importance. In reality there'may be a structure where thereis no hall or even an equivalent. The living rooms 3 as I might considerthem, are provided with windows 5, While the halls 4 vhave practicallysimilar windows 6. In like manner this in itself is not a feature ofimportance. It is in edect vital, however, that in all seasons I cankeep these windows shut without interfering with the proper supply ofthe necessary constituents to maintain life and at the same timefurnishing either heat or cold in conformity naturally with the seasonor the individual taste. By closing the windows 5 l not only excludeexterior sounds which is a point of value. but what is of greaterimportance exclude the entrance of dust and other foreign matter intothe room or rooms. This' I accomplish, of course, without affectingthevision ot an occupant as to what is occurring outside the building.

Extending depthwise or the building 2 for example at the center.although this may not lid@ always be necessary, is a shaft or well 7open at its top for the entrance of a duct member as 8 which might heconsidered as a main. This duct member or main 8 is virtuallycoextensive with the depth or height of the building as common inseveral different arts. It extends above the roof of the building and isassociated in an operative 10 incloses a cylindrical wall 14 extendingfrom the top 12 to the bottom 13 unbrokenly. Below the bottom 13 is theange 15 which presents in effect a continuation of the wall or partition14. This wall or partition 14 is of course, spaced or separated from thewall of the casing or shell 10, and the reason for this will hereinafterbe set forth. The top g 12 has as shown a central opening 16 for theadmission of atmospheric air, silencing means as will be clear beinginterposed in the path of the atmospheric air, in view of whichcircumstance the air will be supplied to the various rooms as I willhereinafter pointout as free from'sound as possible. Connected with thetop 12 and depending therefrom for a certain distance is the vane 17,this vane being practically of spiral form. Its upper edge is united tothe top 12 around the opening 16. Around this v vane 17 is a larger vane18. while in turn around the 'vane 18 isa third vane 19. All three ofthese vanes as will be understood are connected with the topy 12. Theyare united at the bottom by the plate 20 which is spaced from the bottom13. The vanes 17.18 and 19 have outlets 21, 22 and23 which are instaggered relation with each other. that is to say the outlet 21 is notin radial line with the outlet 22, vnor is the latter in radial linewith the outlet 23, as will be seen best on inspection of Fig. 2. Itwill be clear. therefore, that atmospheric air enters the silencer 9 byway of the inlet 16, passing from thence into the leaving the outlet 21of the latterand entering the space surrounded by the vane 18, passingthrough the outlet 22 and entering the space surrounded by the outervane 19, being discharged through the outlet 23 into the chamberinclosed by the cvlindrical wall 14, to which I have already referredand taklng a downward course and entering the ductor main 8 from whichit is conveyed, as I will hereinafter explain to the several .rooms 3and halls 4. t

The parts of the silencer 9 to which I have already referred aregenerally made from metal. although this is is not a primaryconslderation. The substance in-question, however, 1s satisfactory. Toaugment the effect of the silencer its various interior surfaces may' be-provided with a sound-deadeningI spiral tube 17.,

substance as 24.- which may consist of felt or other convenient materialadhesively unlted to the surface. As I will hereinafter point yout thissame material is connected to other This fan obviously draws atmosphericair into the inlet 16 and drives it into the main 8 to be subsequentlysupplied to the various rooms-and halls of the building.

` As I have already explained one of the purposes of the main 8 is tofurnish fresh air to the several rooms 3 and halls 4, and this can beobtained in any desirable manner. As shown the main 8 has leadingtherefrom in suitable order and laterally, the branches 27 joined toopenings 28 in the walls of the respective rooms and halls. Theseopenings 28 are near the ceilings of the several rooms and halls. Therooms and halls in turn have openings 29 therein situated near the ioorsthereof. From the respective branches 27 extend branch fines as 30leading to the respective openings 29. The branches 27 are located in ornear the ceilings, while the branches 30 may be in the walls. Theopenings 28 and 29 are provided respectively with valves which I shallfor convenience denote as 31 in each case. In summer it is desirablethat the cold, fresh and silenced air enter the rooms and halls in theupper portions thereof, say near the ceilings. In this case lthe upperdampers or valves 31 as shown in Fig. 7 will be opened to accomplishthis particular result. In winter or lcold weather when warmth isdesirable if not imperative, this condition will be reversed, the uppervalves or dampers 31 being closed and the lower ones being opened, inView of which latter result it follows that the silenced and warm airenters the rooms and halls at or near the floors thereof. I providemeans for carrying ofi the stagnant or foul air, and this without thenecessity of opening lthe windows or doing some other thing which wouldresult in the entrance of objectionable or undesirable noises or sounds.It is practically necessary that the air generally stagnant or in effectin .that condition. should be conveyed from the rooms and halls. Forthis purpose I provide for instance in the partition walls, lues 32, thewalls of the several rooms and halls having openings l33 connecting saidrooms and halls with these dues. As shown the openings 33 are situatedat or near the floors as the foul air descends Passing from the rooms orhalls by Way of the openings 3B into the tlues 32 it ascends, leavingthe upper ends of the fines and passing into the connecting fine 34 onthe roof of-the .building Q. From this connecting flue 34.- is

the discharge duct 35 opening into the silencer 9 and having directcommunication with the space between the shell or body 10 and thepartition 14. From the casing l() leads the disch-arge connection 36from which the foul air is finally discharged into the atmosphere. Theseveral discharge fines and their connections just described may belined with silencing material as indicated at 37. The air lthusdischarged acts before it reaches the atmosphere to either initiallyheat or cool the incoming air.

-What I claim is:

1. The combination of a room intended for human habitation, means forsupplying air to the room, and positive silencing means applied 'to saidair supplying means.

The combination of a room intended for human habitation, a flue leadingfrom the outside atmosphere to said room, and positive silencing meansin correlation with the room and the flue for silencing the air enteringthe room by way of said fine.

The combination of a room intended for human habitation,means for thesupply of air-to Ithe room, positive silencing means applied to damp orcheck noise vibrations in said air, and means for modifying theairsupplied to the room.

l. The combination of-a room intended for human habitat-ion, a mainhaving branches leading to the upper and lower sides of the room for thesupply of air thereto, means for shutting off the air as desired to theupper and lower portions of the room, and silencing means applied todamp or check noise vibrations in said air.

The combination of a room intended for human habitation, a. main havingbranches leading -to the upper and lower sides of the room for thepassage of air, means for shutting oii' thesupply of air as desired tothe upper and lowerpo'rtions of the room, definite silencing meansapplied to damp or check noise vibrations in said-air, and air modifyingmeans associated with the 6. Thel combination of a room intended forhuman habitation,` means for supplying air to the room, definitesilencing means applied to damp or check the noise vibrations in theair, and means for discharging aii` from the room and causing theoutgoing air to modify the incoming air.

10. The combination of a room intended for human habitation, andpositive silencing means .arrangedto damp or check any sound producingair vibrations from entering said room.

11. In combination a room intended for human habitation, means forVentilating said room, and positive silencing means applied -to damp orcheck noise Vibrations of the air entering said room.

In testimony whereof I aiix my signature in'the presence of tWoWitnesses.

I-IIRAM PERCY MAXIM.

Witnesses:

Caen. POWELL, `O'r'ro HILTON.

